Editor's Note: Sweet Corn Memories

The first bite of fresh sweet corn stirs up simple yet treasured family memories.

For me, sweet corn is a memory of my grandpa buzzing from roadside stand to roadside stand, making fast friends with the growers and sellers at each stop.

It’s sitting barefoot on the deck stairs, assigned by my mom to shuck the latest dozen, hands sticky after patiently picking out the lingering bits of silk on each ear.

It’s my family’s ongoing debate on the correct way to eat sweet corn – my mom in rounds, my dad and I in rows – all scoffing at my sister’s choice to slice the kernels off the ear.

And it’s the satisfaction of finding the perfect combination of creamy flavor and indescribable “pop” of juiciness.

If you’re an Iowan, I’m guessing you also have treasured sweet corn memories. Like most food, sweet corn is universal. It’s timeless. It’s a simple pleasure that unites us.

In this issue of Fresh Pickings, we spotlight some of the summertime traditions Iowans share – firing up the grill, savoring a scoop of dairy-fresh ice cream or cheering on a favorite baseball team – and the aspects of agriculture that make each moment possible.

The stories in this issue serve up nostalgia for summers past, but more importantly, inspire you to see the season from a new perspective.

This magazine is also an open invitation to be a part of the Iowa Food & Family Project's farm-to-table conversations. Join in by meeting the people who produce your favorite foods, ask questions about agriculture and share what you learn with those you love.

Enjoy the issue and the sweet corn,

Editor | Fresh Pickings Magazine

To view the full spread, view this magazine in your internet browser on your phone, tablet or desktop.